Case Number 19412: Small Claims Court

Huxley On Huxley

Every purchase you make through these Amazon links supports DVD Verdict's reviewing efforts. Thank you!

All Rise...

Judge Roy Hrab is looking forward to opening the doors to persimmon. Wait, is that right?

The Charge

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are
ignored."—Aldous Huxley

The Case

Aldous Huxley was one of the most famous writers of the mid-20th century. He
is best known for his dystopian novel "Brave New World." Huxley was
also (in)famous for his experimentation with psychedelic drugs and the resulting
book, "The Doors Of Perception," about his experience with mescaline.
And yes, the band "The Doors" derived their name from Huxley's
book.

Huxley On Huxley presents a slice of Huxley's life, following his
second marriage to Laura Archera. Archera was an Italian-born musician that
immigrated to the United States. By the late 1940s she had moved to Hollywood to
become a filmmaker and in the process became close friends with Huxley and his
first wife, Maria. In 1955, Maria died of cancer. In 1956, Huxley and Archera
married. They were together until he died of cancer in 1963.

This documentary is built around interviews with Laura (well into her 90s at
the time and incredibly astute) and with the purported purpose of offering
insight into the life of Aldous. However, this is not what is delivered. Laura
tells many stories about their time together, such as Huxley's near blindness
and his "controversial" eye exercises, the celebrity parties they
attended, and how their California home burnt down in 1961. As for insights
about him, or her for that matter, there is little to none. For example, much of
the film is devoted to Huxley's drug fascination, but we never learn why he
became so enamoured with psychedelics. Further, there are a few mentions of
Huxley's fondness for "The Tibetan Book Of The Dead," but the reasons
for this affection are not revealed. Additionally, and oddly, there is little
about how Laura spent her time after Aldous's passing. There are some references
to a book she wrote, "This Timeless Moment," but, as with everything
else, not much depth.

The film also contains interviews with friends and acquaintances of the
Huxleys, including Don Bachardy (Chris and
Don. A Love Story), Nick Nolte (Affliction), and fellow psychedelic
user and associate of Timothy Leary, Ram Doss (aqua. Richard Alpert, which some
readers will recognize as the name of a central character from Lost). A few interesting stories are told,
but that's it.

The technical aspects of the release are adequate. The video quality is
acceptable, but not great by any stretch. The same goes for the stereo
sound.

The extras include 46 minutes of interview outtakes and a photo montage.

For a documentary about two interesting people, Huxley On Huxley is
quite boring. If you really want to learn about these people your best option is
to read the books they wrote.